Washing machine with fast freezing cycle



Jan. 28, 1969 c. R. ROHWER 3,423,964

WASHING MACHINE WITH FAST FREEZING CYCLE Filed May 17, 1966 2s v [2 Water 4 1 l Solenoid Volve 1 Freezing 4 3 24 I Air n Wafer Intake S h M t r ync ronous 0 or GemTmm 22 2| rge Pum 29 I I4 23 mer M P 32?? L MOfOf M Drain 52 I6 27 2o Compressor i Evaporator I? 32 l8 l9 f, 33 I 42 g l 44 5| 43 36 r 37 47 5O Blower I *1 L f r'-35 3| 46 45 n Expansion Vdlve Rece'vmg Tank Spin Flll s pm Rmse 3m|n,+ mm

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Fill 2'/ min. mvENroR Catherine Roslyn Rohwer ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,423,964 WASHING MACHINE WITH FAST FREEZING CYCLE Catherine Roslyn Rohwer, 2630 Rice St., Chicago, Ill. 60622, now by change of name Catherine R. Thomas Filed May 17, 1966, Ser. No. 550,832 U.S. C]. 68-12 Claims Int. Cl. D06f 29/00; D06c 7/00; F2511 31/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE My invention relates to a means for cleaning soiled materials and is particularly adapted for use when the materials are stained or soiled by substances that heretofore have defied cleaning processes.

It is well known, of course, that materials such as cotton, wool, synthetic products, and the like, can be cleaned of dirt and stains by a variety of methods and means presently in use. However, it is equally well known that when such materials are soiled by a variety of substances, the thorough and satisfactory cleaning thereof presents a number of problems even with the methods and means presently available. In this category of substances can be mentioned blood, fruit juices, wine, oil, coffee, ink, and others of similar nature. These substances are difficult to remove from materials even when the cleaning methods now used are initiated immediately after the material has been soiled. The magnitude of the job is immensely increased if the substance is allowed to remain in the material for any length of time so that it is, in effect, set in the material. Obviously this can often occur in objects of clothing, table cloths, bed coverings, and other commonly used objects which are soiled in use and which must be cleaned at some later time. Therefore it is an object of this invention to provide a cleaning method and means which can be used effectively on materials having stains therein which have heretofore resisted presently used cleaning methods and means.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cleaning means which can be used effectively on stained material even some considerable time after the material is stained.

A still further object of the invention is to provide novel cleaning means which can be readily used with various types of home and commercial washing machines now in use.

Further objects and advantages of my invention will become apparent as the following description proceeds, and the features of novelty which characterize my invention will be pointed out with particularly in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this specification.

For a better understanding of my invention, reference may be had to the attached drawing in which FIG. 1 represents diagrammatically an automatic washer of the agitator type with an associated refrigeration system. FIG. 2 shows a circle chart of a typical washing cycle for an automatic washer of the type shown in FIG. 1 and including a cycle involving the refrigeration system connected to the machine.

In general, my invention contemplates wetting the stained or soiled material and then quickly freezing the water in the material. The material in a frozen state is then thawed in a cold liquid bath and finally cleaned by Patented Jan. 28, 1969 any number of well-known washing methods now presently in use. Thus, for example, the material, after being thawed, could be put in a bowl containing hot water and suitable detergents for hand-washing of the material. As another example, the material, after being thawed, can be further cleaned in any of the various types of washing machines now in use in the home and industry. The transition of the frozen material containing the stain to a thawed condition and finally to the warmer condition in the washing means, completely loosens the stain from the material, and while such effect is not completely explainable, it is extremely effective.

A substance that has heretofore been extremely hard to remove from materials is blood, particularly after the blood has remained in the material for any length of time. The cleaning of materials stained by blood presents a real problem to hospitals, doctors, dentists, and

those establishments dealing with animals, such as stock yards, butchers, etc. The problem of blood-stained material is also occasionally encountered in the home and other places. In any event, irregardless of how such stains occur, the materials which have been stained by blood are often rendered unfit for further use and must be disposed of at some considerable cost.

In view of the fact that blood stains in materials are so resistant to present cleaning methods and means, I have chosen to describe my invention with reference to such use. However, it should be clearly understood that such invention is equally effective for cleaning less resistant stains of the nature previously mentioned.

Referring now to FIG. 1, there is disclosed an arrangement wherein a refrigeration system is operatively associated with an agitator type of automatic washer of the type usually found in home use. It should be noted, however, that this arrangement is chosen only to illustrate one means whereby the method of cleaning involved in my invention can be utilized and other embodiments are considered as falling within the scope of the invention. For example, the refrigeration system may be of any desired type which can be associated with other types of washers such as the tumbler type of washing machine designed for home or commercial use. In addition, my invention may be adapted for use with the non-automatic type of washer and, as previously mentioned, is also adapted for use when stained materials are to be handwashed.

As seen in FIG. 1, the washing machine tub is indicated at 10, and disposed within this tub is the cylinder basket 11 enclosing the agitator 12. The agitator is oscillated by means of the agitator shaft '13- which is acted upon by a clutch and gear train 14, driven by electric motor 15 through shaft 16. Shaft 16 also carries a pulley 17 for a belt 18 which runs to associated pulley 19 on shaft 20 of a discharge pump 21. Discharge pump 21 is connected between an outlet pipe 22 and a drain pipe 23. The water intake pipe connected by suitable hose means, not shown, to the home water supply system is indicated at 24. A double-solenoid shut-off valve 25 is disposed between water intake pipe 24 and a tub inlet pipe 26, and a solenoid valve 27 is disposed in outlet pipe 22.

A timer indicated at 28 is driven through shaft 29 by means of a synchronous motor 30. As the timer 28 is the heart of the automatic operation of the washing machine, it is desirable at this time to briefly explain the general operation of such a timer. A pinion gear, not shown, on shaft 29 is meshed with a drive gear, not shown, in the timer assembly. Various types of timers are used; however, the timer may consist of a series of cam wheels or discs with inclined projections on their edge which are turned by the drive gear in the timer. As these cam wheels are slowly revolved, the cam surfaces make contact with I) switch levers and these levers are used to open or close electrical circuits to the various components of the automatic washer. As will be explained in greater detail later, the timer 28 is also used to control the operation of the refrigeration system generally indicated at 31.

The components of the typical automatic washing machine heretofore designated obviously do not represent all the many components of the rather complex machine. Furthermore, as can be seen, even those components shown are diagrammatically and pictorially presented. However, for the purposes of this application it is believed that the components as shown in FIG. 1 can form an adequate basis for generally describing the operation of the machine and particularly such operation in relationship to the refrigeration system 31 which will be described in greater detail later.

In the use of the automatic washing machine as seen in FIG. 1, the operator generally selects the temperature of the Water to be used and places the material to be cleaned within the tub 11. At this time the detergents or other softeners, bleaches, etc., can be placed in the machine or can be later added from suitable hopper means. The operator then pushes a dial or button that closes electrical circuits to the synchronous motor 30 and motor and causes the machine to take over and begin the washing process.

Considering FIG. 1 together with FIG. 2 of the drawing, particularly the cycle portion commencing at the three oclock position thereof, it can be seen that the timer 28 acting through the double-solenoid shut-off valve permits water to flow into the tub for two and onehalf minutes. At the end of this period a float switch, not shown, actuated at a predetermined level of the water in the tub, operates to close off further water flow into the tub and permits the clutch, of the gear train and clutch 14, to actuate the gear train to drive the agitator 12 from the electric motor 15. This causes the agitator 12 to commence to oscillate and the wash cycle of ten minutes proceeds.

At the end of the ten-minute wash cycle the basket 11 is revolved at a high rate of speed to spin the wet material within the basket and partially remove the water therefrom through centrifugal action. The basket is driven and braked by means of a basket drive and brake assembly, not shown, which in turn is driven by a belt from the motor 15. The electric timer 28 acts through solenoid means to permit the basket drive of the assembly to reyplve the basket at the desired high speed. At this same time, timer 28 has opened solenoid valve 27 so that the water is removed from the tub by the discharge pump I At the end of the spin period of one and one-half minutes, the brake of the assembly is reactivated under the control of timer 28 so as to gently slow the basket to a stop position. Following this, the double-solenoid shutoff valve 25 is again activated by timer 28 to permit another fill of water into the tub 10. This fill again continues for two and one-half minutes and is then cut off under the influence of the float switch. A rinse cycle then takes place for two and one-half minutes and the material in the basket is soaked and rinsed. After this rinsing period the brake of the basket 11 is released and the drive takes over so that the basket is again spun at high speed for one and one-half minutes. After this spin cycle, the brake is again applied to basket 11 to stop its rotation.

The final cycles of filling the tub with water for two and one-half minutes, rinsing for two and one-half minutes, and spinning for three minutes, is then completed, after which time the machine shuts down completely. This will be at the twelve oclock position on the circle chart of FIG. 2.

The various operations of the machine described above are controlled through the timer 28, and it can be seen that the mechanical drive of the agitator, the power for the basket drive and brake assembly, as well as the power to the discharge pump 21, is provided from motor 15. The water path through the machine is generally indicated as through water intake pipe 24, double-solenoid shut-off valve 25, and tub inlet pipe 26 into the tub 10. The drain of the water from the tub 10 is selectively controlled through outlet pipe 22, solenoid valve 27, discharge pump 21, and drain pipe 23.

The refrigeration system 31 includes the evaporator 32, compressor 33, motor 34, receiving tank 35, condenser 36, and expansion valve 37. Motor 34 has pulley 38 on the shaft 39 and a belt 40 is connected between pulley 38 and pulley 41 on drive shaft 42 of the compressor 33. An intake connection 43 disposed between the evaporator 32 and compressor 33 is adapted to withdraw vaporized refrigerant from the evaporator 32 to the compressor where the refrigerant is compressed. The refrigerant is discharged from the compressor through a connection 44 into the condenser 36 Where it is liquified and finally collected in the receiving tank 35. From the receiving tank 35 the liquid flows through line 45 to the expansion valve 37 where the liquid refrigerant is vaporized and flows onward through pipe 46 and into the coils of the evaporator 32. This flow of the vaporized refrigerant and liquified refrigerant completes the refrigerant cycle, and it is apparent that the temperature of the evaporator can be maintained at a low temperature as, for example, a temperature that might well be below 0 F., depending upon the capacity of the refrigeration system.

The evaporator 32 is contained within housing 47 which has a branch pipe 48 leading to port 49 in the side wall of the tub 10. Disposed in the opposite wall of the container 47 there is a fan 50 driven by motor 51. It should be apparent that as the refrigeration system is operated by the motor 34, the evaporator is at a low temperature, and if the motor 51 is energized to drive fan 50, a cold blast of air can move upward in the branch pipe 48, as indicated by the arrows in the pipe, and be exhausted through the port 49 toward the agitator in the basket 11. The temperature of the blast of chilled air which is forced into the automatic washing machine will, of course, depend on the capacity of the refrigeration system and must be low enough to freeze the damp material that is contained within the basket 11.

As previously indicated, my method of cleaning depends upon the fact that the material having a stain therein is wetted and then frozen as the initial steps in the method. Consequently, means are provided in the arrangement disclosed in FIG. 1 wherein the freezing portion of the method is accomplished within the automatic washing machine prior to the time that the normal cycle of washing is initiated as at the three oclock position of the cycle circle shown in FIG. 2. Thus, it is contemplated that starting at the twelve oclock position on the cycle circle, the stained clothes are thoroughly wetted by filling the tub with water for two and one-half minutes as is the procedure now used in the ordinary operation of the washing machine. At the same time the cycle is started, as at the twelve oclock position, means are also provided whereby the motor of the refrigeration system is started. Thus, I have indicated an electrical connection 52 running from the timer 28 to the electric motor 34. This circuit is energized at the time the fill operation is commenced so that by the time it is desired to freeze the wet material in the basket 11, the refrigeration system will be at full operating capacity.

After the material in the basket 11 has been thoroughly wetted by being immersed in the filled tub, the timer 28 is designed to provide for draining of the tub and for operation of the basket drive so that the basket can be spun at high speed for one and one-half minutes as indicated in FIG. 2. Thus, the very wet material will be somewhat dried and the excess moisture removed from the tub leaving the material in a damp but thoroughly saturated condition Within basket 11. At this time the fan 50 is operated through the electrical circuit 53 from the timer 28 to the motor 51 to produce a chilled air flow across the dampened material. This freezing portion of the cycle continues for minutes after which time the timer 2 8 de-energizes motor 51 to stop fan 50 and also initiates a water fill cycle of two and one-half minutes. The temperature of the water for the thawing of the frozen material should be relatively cold.

It will be remembered that the ordinary washing cycle of the automatic washing machine has been shown on the cycle circle as commencing at the three oclock position. This was done to indicate that an additional cycle which involves the freezing of the material is available if desired for use. Thus, it is contemplated that depending upon the design of the machine and the timer arrangement thereof, there will be two initial positions of start for the automatic washing machine. If, for example, it is not desired to use the freezing cycle prior to the normal washing cycle of the machine, the operator can move the timing control mechanism to the three oclock position and then start the machine. If this is done, only the normal washing cycles of the machine will transpire. However, if the material to be placed in the basket 11 is so stained as to require the use of my novel cleaning process, then the operator can initiate the automatic operation of the machine at the twelve oclock position so as to provide for the freeze cycle portion.

If the washing machine is started at the twelve oclock position to include the refrigeration system for the freezing cycle, it is desirable to add any required detergents, bleaches, and water softeners after the freezing cycle has been completed. Consequently, in the design of such a machine the choice can be to provide means for automatically inserting such additional materials into the washing machine after the freezing cycle and immediately prior to the fill cycle at the three oclock position of the cycle circle. For this purpose I have shown a hopper 54 where the required material can be placed before the machine is started in operation. This hopper can have an electromagnetic operated gate mechanism, not shown in detail, but which will 'be effectively operated by the timer at the same time the fill operation of the normal washing cycle is initiated at the three oclock position. The electrical connection between the timer and the hopper is indicated by the dashed line 55.

On the other hand, it is also contemplated that the freezing cycle can be totally completed within the first quadrant between the twelve oclock position and the three oclock position at which time the machine comes to a stop. With this arrangement it is possible to open the tub, put the required detergents, bleaches, and water softeners into the tub, reclose the tub and initiate the normal washing cycle at the three oclock position.

Mention has heretofore been made to the use of my method of cleaning with non-automatic washing machines and with a hand-washing procedure. It is believed apparent that a refrigeration system such as that shown at 31 in FIG. 1 could be connected in a similar manner to the tub of a conventional or non-automatic washing machine. As such a washing machine has no timer, the refrigeration system could be turned on and off by the operator to freeze the damp material in the tub.

Likewise, it is apparent that the refrigeration system 31 could 'be associated with any suitable container into which the damp material to be cleaned can be placed. The refrigeration system could be left operating continuously or turned off and on by an operator, depending on the number of freezing operations to be performed. In any event, once the damp or wet material has been subjected to the freezing condition, it can be removed and placed in a cold water bath for thawing. After thawing, the material can then be washed by hand or in a machine with the warmer water and other commonly used substances such as detergents, bleaches and water softeners.

While I have shown the use of a chilled blast of air to accomplish the freezing of the Water-soaked material in the washing machine, my invention should not be limited to this one embodiment. It is further contemplated that other arrangements, as for example having the coils of the evaporator of the refrigerating system in close proximity to the basket of the machine, can be effective to accomplish the desired freezing of the material. The arrangement chosen will necessarily depend on space requirements and the design of the washing machine with which such system is to be used.

Although the machine cycles that include the freezing cycle have been shown on the cycle circle of FIG. 2 as having certain time sequences, it should be pointed out that the time periods illustrated are chosen as an example only and are subject to change. Thus, it may be found that these periods should be changed, depending on load size, type of material, ambient temperature around the machine, and others. If such changes are required, then provision can be made to extend or reduce the freezing cycle and perhaps the thawing cycle.

Another modification of the preliminary cycles includ ing the freezing cycle, is the possibility that the spin cycle of two and one-half minutes before the freezing cycle can be eliminated. If it is found that under certain conditions the freezing of material having a higher water content is desirable, then the spin cycle can be eliminated and the tub only drained after the soaking or fill cycle.

What I claim is:

1 In an automatic washing machine for receiving stained or soiled material to be washed, said machine having timer means for controlling the sequential washing cycles of the machine, a refrigeration system including an evaporator, means to force chilled air around the evaporator toward a material receiving basket in the tub to freeze any wet material therein, said timer means actuated prior to the sequential washing cycles of the machine, and being effective to energize said refrigeration system, said timer means also controlling water systems within said machine to initially wet said material in said basket, to spin dry said material in said basket, and finally to control said sequential washing cycles of said machine.

2. In an automatic washing machine for stained or soiled materials, having timer means for controlling the washing and rinsing cycles of the machine, said timer means being selectively actuated to energize a driving means for a refrigeration system and initiate a water flow period in the machine whereby any stained material that has been received in the machine can be initially soaked, said timing means then actuating the mechanical system of said machine to spin dry said material, said means then energizing a fan associated with an evaporator in said refrigeration system to force a chilling medium around the damp material in the machine for a period of time sufficient to freeze the water remaining in said material, said timing means then acting to terminate the freezing cycle and further actuating a second water flow of relatively cold water to the frozen material to thaw said material.

3. In a machine for washing stained and soiled material, a container for receiving said material within said machine, said machine having means for selectively delivering and removing water to said material, said machine also having a power means and associated mechnical systems whereby said material can be selectively agitated and rinsed in the water in said machine during the cycles of washing, duct means having an opening adjacent said container for said material in said machine, another opening of said duct being associated with the evaporator of a refrigeration system, timer means which can be selectively set to energize the driving means for said refrigeration system and deliver water to the material in the machine, said timer means being effective after a predetermined period of water delivery to effect a water removal from said material, said timer means then energizing blower means associated with the evaporator to force chilled air through said duct and on to the material to freeze the water therein, said timer means finally initiating another delivery of relatively cold water to said material for a predetermined time after which said water is again removed.

4. A washing machine as in claim 3 wherein said timer means is associated with both the means for delivering and removing water and said power means and associated mechanical systems, whereby these means and systems can be sequentially operated after said water is again removed from said material to perform said cycles of washing.

5. A washing machine as in claim 4 wherein said timer means is efifective to stop the machine operation after said water is again removed and wherein said timer means is adapted to be manually energized to initiate the said cycles of washing.

6. In the washing machine of claim 4, interlocking means between said timer means and associated mechanical systems whereby said cycles of washing are initiated automatically after said water is again removed.

7. In the washing machine of claim 6 wherein said interlocking means have electrical contact means engageable immediately prior to the initiation of said cycles of washing, said electrical contact means being effective through associated electrical means to open a detergentcarrying hopper means into said container.

8. The combination with a washing machine for receiving stained or soiled material to be washed, of a selectively operable freezing unit connected thereto for freezing wet soiled or stained material in said washing machine prior to the washing of said material in said machine.

9. The structure of claim 8, and means for supplying cold water to said machine to thaw the frozen material immediately prior to the washing of said material in said machine.

10. The combination with an automatic washing machine for receiving stained or soiled material to be washed, of a freezing system connected thereto including an evaporator, means associated with the evaporator to force chilled air around the evaporator into the tub of the machine about moist stained material in said machine to freeze said material, timing means for controlling the sequential freezing and washing cycles of said machine, and means for supplying cold water to said machine for thawing said frozen material prior to the washing cycles.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,776,190 9/1930 Mishaw 68-18 X 2,102,699 12/1937 Green. 2,438,150 3/1948 Cutler. 3,122,908 3/1964 Stanulis et a1. 6818 X 3,221,525 12/1965 Jacobs 6818 WILLIAM I. PRICE, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

